OK this is the second time now this is getting ridiculous

Truth

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The question is is it me or is it the shovel? 56366326056__24BF03B6-007B-4620-A55E-5FCD4C21D128.JPG
 

Upvote 0
Aug 20, 2009
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Things made here are pretty much fine.Its the companies that buy goods from china and then redistribute said goods.sometimes they're not marked made in china.Theyre marked redistributed by such and such company.
 

OP
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Truth

Truth

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Don't buy imported junk ~ best I found is the military folding trenching tool. Great shovel. Lots of imports at near the price of surplus.

I’ve looked at those but I need something that will eat through roots we have a lot of half inch roots that I want to be able to go right through. This one does great with that it’s just weak at the base. The shovel head itself will go through 1 inch roots like butter.
 

Oddjob

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There are titanium shovels and trowels. Check camping websites for Titanium Cathole Trowels, pretty cheap actually.

Shovels, only I have seen are custom made. However you can buy titanium shovel heads and spade heads and then have you a custom handle put on it. You may get lucky if you check out expedition sites and forums for vehicle self recovery or mountaineering.

Cathole trowels, well they are really just made for digging catholes, so the handle is normally pure tang. You would have to buy some rubber tool dip, and then dip that tang until you have built up something that works for you.
 

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Truth

Truth

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Things made here are pretty much fine.Its the companies that buy goods from china and then redistribute said goods.sometimes they're not marked made in china.Theyre marked redistributed by such and such company.

I heard through the grapevine that Lesche himself got a divorce and the product has never been the same. I guess when he had to give up HALF he had a cut some corners.
 

Oddjob

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You could find your self a piece of old sucker rod or something like it, run it through you handle and then build up your weld. But it is just going to add weight.

May be time to dig through some treasure, sell some stuff and buy you something that you will not have to replace again.
 

OP
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Truth

Truth

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There are titanium shovels and trowels. Check camping websites for Titanium Cathole Trowels, pretty cheap actually.

Shovels, only I have seen are custom made. However you can buy titanium shovel heads and spade heads and then have you a custom handle put on it. You may get lucky if you check out expedition sites and forums for vehicle self recovery or mountaineering.

Cathole trowels, well they are really just made for digging catholes, so the handle is normally pure tang. You would have to buy some rubber tool dip, and then dip that tang until you have built up something that works for you.

Sounds like a lot of work LOL
 

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Truth

Truth

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You could find your self a piece of old sucker rod or something like it, run it through you handle and then build up your weld. But it is just going to add weight.

May be time to dig through some treasure, sell some stuff and buy you something that you will not have to replace again.

This shovel ran me $100 ugggh
 

Aug 20, 2009
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If there's enough meat left on the blade,get a piece of cast steel pipe 4 or so inches long.put the pipe on the shaft,weld the handle where it belongs.clean the weld up,slide the piece of pipe down overe the welded part and weld the pipe ends to the handle shaft.
 

Peyton Manning

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What do you mean by cat Holes?
 

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Truth

Truth

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If there's enough meat left on the blade,get a piece of cast steel pipe 4 or so inches long.put the pipe on the shaft,weld the handle where it belongs.clean the weld up,slide the piece of pipe down overe the welded part and weld the pipe ends to the handle shaft.

I’m going to actually show this, What you said to my welder tomorrow. Thanks buddy
 

Madmox

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Mar 26, 2014
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You ever figure on just fabricating your own digging tool. Some things it seems like they are just designed to break and get in back into the store to buy a newer version and maybe some other stuff you really do not need.

One of my digging tool I use I found in the forest in Switzerland, actually found two that day. Both are called a Hookaroon, always been a big collector of small forestry hand tools, but these where not like the American made stuff I had collected my whole life, they where from a German firm called Mueller or Müller (depending on what keyboard you have).

Darn thing just leaned against a tree, no sign at all of any forestry work done. I can not even think of a time when tree had been taken in that area.

Anyway, i was headed down to a stream to dig cracks and flips rocks, and thought, well if I can break them then I will add them to my collection. The five footer was a beast, but the little one about a foot and half was really good. Only used the five footer a few other times since, but the little one is my good to tool now when I head out for cracks or flipping rocks.

Sure was not made for it, but it does the job like it was.

Told my neighbour there about it, he watches after our property for us because we do not live there. He loves to hunt nuggets too, well a Swiss nugget is more like what some folks in the US on the youtube call pickers and do not seem so enthusiastic about.

Fella told me that he also has a German Hookaroon, but that he made his own shovel. He said you either buys German made stainless or make your own gear. LOL Then he said but nuggets in Europe do not pay for high quality german stainless, so he made his.

Back in Texas on the ranch we often made our own tools; took and old disc that was not worth saving and cut up one of the disc and made some post hole diggers, root busters and a hoe. I would bet you get your hands on something like that and you could make a pretty good long lasting tool. Seen plemty of the same repurpose skill in Lousiana. Heck if you do not have something laying around in the yard then just head to Toledo Bend, used to find all sorts of good stuff on the river banks there.

Tools these days (since the 80s) seems like they are made for city folk trying to decorate their garden sheds.

Here in the Pacific Northwest we call those Pickaroons. They are used extensively in mills and whatnot. Good tools.
 

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Truth

Truth

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UPDATE: I just spoke with George Lesche and he’s sending me out a brand new one priority mail. Now that’s good service and I would like to thank him on Tnet and let you know that is they only experience this problem maybe one% of the time. He said he had no problem sending me a brand new one. Good man [emoji631]
 

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Truth

Truth

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I’d like to show my appreciation predator tools for backing up their product and sending me a new shovel no questions asked. IMG_0012.JPG
 

Charlie P. (NY)

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You need to do more poking before you start levering. ;-)

Loosen up the plug on all four sides before you try and lift it out.
 

chub

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Home made

20181117_220556.jpg 20181117_220638.jpg 20181117_220619.jpg
here's one I made /modified. The Chinese part still didn't hold up:laughing7: I use a tig, SS tube. SS solid bar to reinforce.
Chub
 

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